If renowned chef Michael Mina had a list of his culinary accolades, it would be longer than the Cheesecake Factory menu. Getting his start in the California cooking scene nearly three decades ago, the Michelin-starred chef and James Beard Foundation inductee brought his skills to Las Vegas in the early ’00s. Today, Mina’s name and cooking creativity is enjoyed by visitors at Bardot Brasserie at Aria, International Smoke at MGM Grand, his eponymous eatery at Bellagio, and StripSteak at Mandalay Bay.
When Stripsteak opened in 2006, it was Mina’s first venture into the steakhouse realm and, nearly 15 years later, it remains a favorite among meat enthusiasts, mainly for the way steaks are cooked—butter poached and then finished on a mesquite wood-burning grill. It’s also worth noting that StripSteak offers a fantastically curated menu of more than 100 single-malt Scotches.
The modern, warm, upscale environment is the perfect setting for a meal of memorable proportions. Fan-favorite starters include the hamachi and ahi poppers, chilled lobster tacos and the “instant” bacon, a five-spice pork belly served with tempura oysters that will have you wishing all bacon was served this way for the rest of your life.
While Mary’s brick chicken, diver scallops, Scottish salmon and ginger-scallion sea bass are all worthy options, the happy belly-filling goal here has to be the steaks. Bone-in ribeyes, New York strips, filet mignons and dry-aged ribeyes come from the grill, but the star is the Mishima A5 Japanese wagyu rib cap—flavorful, memorable, melt in your mouth. If so inclined, punch up any of your meats with accompaniments like black truffle butter, crumbled blue cheese or half a lobster tail.
A must-try dessert is the light, fluffy and perfectly sweetened beignets, served with dipping sauces like chocolate, vanilla crème brûlée and Macallan butterscotch pudding. Sooo good! Top off the meal by perusing that long list of single malts. If you want to try several, order a whiskey and Scotch flight. If money is no object, go with a half-, 1- or 2-ounce pour of Louis XIII by Rémy Martin.
Mandalay Bay, 702.632.7200
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